A report by a committee of the National Assembly for Wales expressed fears that there might be a shortfall in funding for new capital projects in 2008-09, including the building of new roads, schools, or hospitals.
Source: Draft Budget Proposals: 2008-09, Finance Committee/National Assembly for Wales (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report | WLGA press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Dec
The first budget was announced by the Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition Welsh Assembly Government. Total budgeted spending would be around £14.8 billion in 2008-09, £15.3 billion in 2009-10, and £15.7 billion in 2010-11. Health spending would rise from £5.69 billion to £6.01 billion over three years, an increase of £320 million. The local government grant would rise from £3.8 billion to £3.99 billion over three years, a 2.2 per cent rise.
Source: Draft Budget Proposals – 2008-09, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report | NHS Wales press release | WLGA press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Nov
An article reported research into the experiences of public sector workers of bullying at work across 13 organizations in south Wales. Ethnic minority respondents were more likely to label themselves as suffering from bullying behaviours than their white counterparts.
Source: Duncan Lewis and Rod Gunn, 'Workplace bullying in the public sector: understanding the racial dimension', Public Administration, Volume 85 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Sep
An article analyzed relations between trade unions and the Welsh Assembly government as a hybrid form of 'new social partnership' to manage change, using the case study of public service reform. Welsh unions had been able to achieve both improved consultative status and some bargaining aims: nevertheless, unions faced longer-term resource and political threats to their ability to engage with devolved government and to maintain their levels of influence.
Source: Deborah Foster and Peter Scott, 'Trade unions and regional government working in partnership? Emergent lessons from Wales', Economic and Industrial Democracy, Volume 28 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jul
A report said that Wales needed to develop a national strategy for coping with the needs of migrant workers. Public services needed to become more flexible and able to adapt to change.
Source: Rebecca Thomas, Migrant Workers and Access to Public Services, Welsh Consumer Council (029 2025 5454)
Links: Report | WCC press release
Date: 2007-Jun
The Wales Office published its annual report for 2006-07, showing its performance against public service agreement targets.
Source: Annual Report 2007, Cm 7110, Wales Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Report (Welsh)
Date: 2007-May
An article examined performance indicators covering a range of public services in Wales since devolution. The Welsh approach had not yet delivered significantly better performance in public services than that achieved in comparable areas of England. In many cases services in Wales had performed less well and improved more slowly.
Source: Rhys Andrews and Steve Martin, 'Has devolution improved public services?', Public Money and Management, Volume 27 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Apr
A government report said that since 1997 Wales had made 'significant strides forward' in terms of economic growth, employment growth, reducing benefit dependency, and tackling child poverty. Wales was closing the gap with the rest of the United Kingdom, and was experiencing the highest employment rates and lowest unemployment rates for thirty years.
Source: Wales ? Towards Full Employment, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7962 8176) and Welsh Assembly Government
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Mar
A partnership agreement was reached between the Welsh Assembly Government, public service employers, and trade unions, setting out principles for managing changes in the way that public services were delivered across Wales. It included an agenda for workforce engagement and learning, career development, equality, and staff well-being.
Source: Partnership and Managing Change: A partnership agreement for public services in Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Agreement | WLGA press release
Date: 2007-Mar